V6 cup holders and steering

[ant_v6]

Does the Vee have any cupholders?
And also, is there a quicker steering rack available?

 

[hog1]

Same as other Clio 2, you can squeeze plassy cups in front of the ashtray in the lower panel. Steering is quick enough mate unles you want to go hedge hopping!

 

[137699]

Cant believe cup holders is a consideration for buying a Vee or not...? Surely??? I have one of those Summit cup holders which you hook over the top of the door ledge. They cost 59p from Wilkinsons (or some equally trivial amount).... Dont look great but does the job every time I go to Costa or buy a can!

 

[ant_v6]

Well, it isnt a deal breaker (the cup holders) but I would like a couple. I was thinking about it this morning in the Lotus trying to balance my cappucino, sausage pastry and mobile is quite a challenge driving through London.

With my change to a more practical car Im looking forward to getting all the comforts like. How come youve got one from a DIY shop if the car already has two? Are they too small?

As for the rack – I read somewhere that it wasnt quick enough and that was the main reason that the handling is tricky. Thought maybe there might be a quicker after market one? Im sure Ill get used to the standard one after a week or so but it will seem bus like after the Lotus.

 

[137699]

I have the mk1 vee which has no cupholders, not that it was really a consideration for me - hence the 59p wilko addition!

As for the rack, I think that its not so much the speed of response, more the lack of lock. The turning circle on vees is abysmal, though you do get used to it for parking & navigation, and now it doesnt bother me, though I am now regularly surprised about how tight a turning circle other cars have when I drive them!

If like me youre not into driving sideways then youll find the lack of lock no real problem, however the problem may be that if you lose the back end, theres not much opposite lock available to correct your slide. I dont think fitting a faster rack will really help this.

Its never caused me any problems, but it probably does mean that the V6 is never going to be a favourite with drifters....

If you are looking for an aftermarket rack then good luck! There are 2 companies offering parts for the V6 - Prima (who Ive heard bad reports of) and Ktec (who Ive heard good reports of). The range of aftermarket performance components is quite limited compared to that available for the Elise (probably due to the fact that there are far fewer Clio V6s around) so if youre serious about modding, you may have to get things like racks commission built.

The V6 handling *problems* are a bit of a myth in my mind. It may not handle quite as razor sharp as an Elize, but its hardly a Vectra going round corners either, and most peoples fears about handling issues rapidly fade away once theyve spent a couple of weeks behind the wheel of the Vee!

Also most derogatory handling opinions are formed by people used to FWD cars. As an Elise driver youll already be aware that mid-engine RWD cars handle very differently to FWD setups, and if someone just hops in having never driven one before, they can quickly get caught out by the oversteer, and think that as a result the handling isnt up to the job.

I had a friend crash his Elise on his 3rd outing after trading up from a Vauxhall Calibra - he made the mistake of easing off mid-corner at high speed, and hey presto, put his back-end in a hedge. He swears to this day that the Elises handling is over-rated, whereas I reckon it was his over-confidence with no experience of driving a RWD car!

 

[ant_v6]

Haha. Love that story. So many people have been caught out by the Elise doing that (or similar). I can still remember mine, looking up the dual carridgeway through the passenger window.

I agree with what you say about the handling issues being exaggerated. Im convinced that a lot of motoring journalists cant drive and must jump into the V6 thinking it is a 182.

 

[FiXX]

the cupholders in new clios shouldnt even be called such, as if you go round even the slightest bend they jsut fall over.

 

[137699]

Not with my wilko 59p thingy they dont!